1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Discussion in 'Sports, Hobbies & Interests' started by The Traveler, Jan 29, 2013.

  1. Feb 17, 2014 at 6:53 AM
    #561
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2011
    Member:
    #56389
    Messages:
    6,839
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2011 DCSB 4x4 Offroad TRD
  2. Feb 18, 2014 at 6:38 AM
    #562
    Crom

    Crom Super-Deluxe Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    Member:
    #18782
    Messages:
    9,616
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2009 4x4 DCSB Camp Supreme
    Millions
    Looks good!
     
  3. Feb 18, 2014 at 7:18 AM
    #563
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2011
    Member:
    #56389
    Messages:
    6,839
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2011 DCSB 4x4 Offroad TRD
    You mean 500 mW? Likewise as far as Interference live next to the US-Mexico border. I'm positive that re-bandplaning to strip further Amateur band range is not from illegal transmissions but from the mighty dollar to be made and a lack of use by Licensed Amateurs. I go for days if not weeks without hearing anything on most of my local repeaters, let alone simplex VHF/UHF. And then there are the fools on lower HF that can't stop arguing and causing fights over the air so at the same time much like 147.435 that has been going on and on with hourly violations on air, Amateurs do create their own fate as well.
    I have noticed a huge increase in VHF/UHF noise from other device(s) harmonics in the last 3 year, the biggest is San Diego buses, be on 2 meters and drive within in a block of one and full squelch is not enough.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service
     
  4. Feb 18, 2014 at 7:26 AM
    #564
    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2008
    Member:
    #9774
    Messages:
    12,570
    SoCal- SGV
    Yup, thats exactly what it is. the telecommunication companies have huge lobbyist groups trying to get more spectrum for their needs..big companies with lots of money to spend.
     
  5. Feb 18, 2014 at 11:22 PM
    #565
    Crom

    Crom Super-Deluxe Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    Member:
    #18782
    Messages:
    9,616
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2009 4x4 DCSB Camp Supreme
    Millions
    Interesting about the S.D. city buses. I know it may seem boring, but why not file a complaint with the FCC and get the city to fix the interference? They are responsible.
     
  6. Feb 19, 2014 at 5:50 AM
    #566
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    It may well be 1/2 a watt but the bottom line the ERP of a ham HT is still far greater and is not narrow band. The FCC is looking for opportunities to snatch freqs from anywhere they can, UPS is using some of our old 220 MHZ fregs due to lack of use. There is abuse of rules on any band and the FCC is spread thin, the way to deal with wingnuts on HF or any other band is to ignore them, all they are looking for is an audience and I don’t think they are bright enough to realize their signal is not just local if I hear that type of stuff on any of my repeaters I turn them off. I listened to one ding dong on the input freq for a half hour basically talking to himself not realizing the repeater was off, later (after he sobered up) I called him on the phone and explained that the behavior was unacceptable. It is embracing to listen to them realizing they can be heard around the world on the HF bands that’s a hell of a way to represent our country. There are several of our bands that we shear with other services the UHF FM band is full of low power devices and if we what to keep that band we need to use it and use it properly that is a band they very much would like to sell. We do have some power to police our self’s first and four most is to follow the rules like not using non type accepted modified radios on bands we do not belong on. Last year all P.S. radios went to narrow band our radios did not so by using them where they don’t belong we run the risk of interference to other channels because of the band width it’s twice as wide. Trying to jamb uses on the HF bands is as childish as the one we want to go away. We can report miss use to the FCC sometimes this does get results and the more complaints the better but the best bet is don’t give them an audience.
     
  7. Feb 19, 2014 at 5:56 AM
    #567
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    This^ and if you are close to them probably more than any thing else is receiver overload. We wanted to hear every thing with our radios so there is not much rejection out of band.
     
  8. Feb 22, 2014 at 3:06 AM
    #568
    BenMara

    BenMara That Asian RedNeck

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2011
    Member:
    #54903
    Messages:
    1,899
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ben
    Belton/Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    2011 DC 4x4 SCed
    TRD Blower, Ham Radio, DBA T2 Rotors
    Anyone found a decent way to mount and gnd a HF screwdriver antenna to a 2nd tacoma?
    Im really hating this composite bed. Trying to do things as per www.k0bg.com explains
     
  9. Feb 22, 2014 at 4:51 AM
    #569
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    Your plastic bed is of very little consequence, good grounds are essential this does not mean turn your truck into a spider web. You need a good body ground modern cars are pretty well grounded frames doors etc. years ago they were not and all kinds of RF issues popped up. Vehicles are poor ground planes all of them, working mobile is very similar to working QRP so you have got to do the best you can with you got. I have worked over 70 countries mobile in the Tacoma and east to west in the lower 48 (so much for the plastic bed worries) on any given day I can work DX. If you decide on a screw driver antenna (good choice) put the longest whip you can find that will fit with a quick disconnect to make it easy to remove. Big antennas need big mounts and they need brackets beyond just a single mount the only thing that holds them in place is a 3/8” stud and they will flop around like a fish without an extra bracket and that cannot be good for them. The lower you go in frequencies the worse a vehicle becomes I don’t even think about 160 meters mobile some guys do and get away with it but to me it is far more trouble than it’s worth you will need cap hats matching coils etc. no thanks I’ll cut it off at 80 meters. You can but I would not worry about your plastic bed the only fix would be to remove it and use a wire counterpoise across the frame the more wire the better then put the bed back on. You may gain a 1/4 dB 3,000 miles out but I doubt it would be measurable. You will need to mount the tuning coil above the cab or in the clear otherwise it will not preform will that is why I mounted mine on the rear of the bed that also produces some ground coupling to the real earth. The upper mount on my antenna is Lexan the entire antenna is RF hot motor, tube everything so it cannot be grounded I have found that the motor control chokes that come with the screw drivers are marginal buy a better one or you may have issues tuning.

    IMG_1516 (1024x683).jpg
     
  10. Feb 22, 2014 at 9:59 AM
    #570
    BenMara

    BenMara That Asian RedNeck

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2011
    Member:
    #54903
    Messages:
    1,899
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ben
    Belton/Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    2011 DC 4x4 SCed
    TRD Blower, Ham Radio, DBA T2 Rotors
    A friend has his tarheel antenna, mount like yours, but i have a campershell so even more factors.. what thinking about bending some flat stock to contour from front driver bed mount to outside the bed and cut were it intersects the bed and campershell lovely run on sentence....
     
  11. Feb 22, 2014 at 10:09 AM
    #571
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2011
    Member:
    #56389
    Messages:
    6,839
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2011 DCSB 4x4 Offroad TRD

    I have, twice, and the city basically said who cares, I have a letter that says not to communicate around buses. ROFL

    The FCC apparently asked the city to look into it and never got back to me, its been over a year.
     
  12. Feb 22, 2014 at 10:18 AM
    #572
    Crom

    Crom Super-Deluxe Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2009
    Member:
    #18782
    Messages:
    9,616
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2009 4x4 DCSB Camp Supreme
    Millions
    Sounds like a controversy ripe for litigation. Will send you a PM when I'm back at a desk.
     
  13. Feb 22, 2014 at 4:24 PM
    #573
    Chipskip

    Chipskip N7MCS

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2010
    Member:
    #42519
    Messages:
    11,607
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chip
    Phoenix
    Vehicle:
    02 Sequoia
    Worked the Ragnar tax this weekend. We had a guy crossband repeating our UHF incident simplex to our repeater from a mobile station. We had 7 repeaters linked for this 203 mile race. The guy was a royal PITA, but eventual he got tired and let us move on.

    I was really surprised at the number of people that bitched about the free repeaters being tied up for two days.
     
  14. Feb 23, 2014 at 5:31 AM
    #574
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    Check the Tarheel site they make all kinds of mounts along with antennas the one on mine is home made the bottom end of the antenna is mounted to a ball mount I removed the right lamp assemble to mount it and the coax. Many times people research things to death ham guys like to experiment many time it does not work well but there are also a lot of home runs. Many years ago I built a UHF beam, it turned out to be a good garden rake but a lousy antenna. Ground your antenna well and hold it on the side of the shell with duct tape and see what happens! No holes to fill if it doesn't. It really would be good to get the tuning coil above every thing but I have seen them completely shadowed by the body work and they still make the contacts.
     
  15. Mar 15, 2014 at 2:14 PM
    #575
    Bengland25

    Bengland25 Never Forget! 343

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    Member:
    #67192
    Messages:
    1,937
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bradley
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    09 Tacoma TRD
    MB Chaos 6 17" wheels, BF Goodrich All-Terrain TA/KO LT265-70R17, Anytime Fog Lights, Anytime Backup Camera, Bed Lights, Tailgate Lock, Light bar with 3 Hella 700FF's, Realtree Camo arm-rests, Anytime DTRL (With Switch), Blue Seas Fuse Block and Circuit Breaker, Custom Bed Light-Bar, Cobra 29 LTD Chrome, 4' Firestik, Masterlock Hitch Key Safe, Bed Storage Compartment Locks, Custom Shovel Bracket Mount, Flag Pole Mount (RED SOLO CUP FLAG!), DIY Washable Cabin Filter, URD MAF Cal., Homelink Garage Door Opener, Volant CAI w/ Ram Scoop, AeroTurbine 3030XL, URD Short Throw Shifter, Custom Satoshi, Blitzpro 21S, 2 Blitzpro 6LZ's, Blitzpro 6D, BAMF Sliders
    Hey, I am new to all the HAM radio community and looking into getting my tech license and a radio here shortly. Anybody have some good websites/sources for studying for the exam? Also, anyone know of a place to take the exam in Ventura county, California??

    Thanks all
     
  16. Mar 15, 2014 at 11:54 PM
    #576
    BenMara

    BenMara That Asian RedNeck

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2011
    Member:
    #54903
    Messages:
    1,899
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ben
    Belton/Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    2011 DC 4x4 SCed
    TRD Blower, Ham Radio, DBA T2 Rotors
  17. Mar 16, 2014 at 4:25 AM
    #577
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    There are many out there try ham test on line. http://www.eham.net/exams/ Join a ham radio club in your neighborhood they can be very helpful and generally do testing with their own club members as VE's.
     
  18. Mar 17, 2014 at 12:34 AM
    #578
    01TacoBuz

    01TacoBuz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2012
    Member:
    #72297
    Messages:
    471
    Gender:
    Male
    In the woods
    Vehicle:
    01 Tacoma SR5
    K&N drop in filter, URD rear simulator, Deck plate mod/home made CAI, No rear cat, MagnaFlow muffler
  19. Mar 21, 2014 at 11:10 PM
    #579
    jeverich

    jeverich Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2008
    Member:
    #5517
    Messages:
    2,230
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jake
    PNW/Kodiak
    Vehicle:
    07 2.7 4x4
    OME 886/Old Man Doug Suspension Lift, ARB Bumper, Bruteforce High Clearance w/Swing Out, De-badge, Block Heater, Homemade IFS Skid, 7" Kragens, Blue Seas Fuse Block, BlitzPro Fogs, 12k BadLands Winch, BAMF Sliders, ARB Locker, 4.88s Yaesu FT-1900R, Larsen 150B NMO Mount Antenna
    If anybody's up, give me a shout on IRLP 7758, Kodiak, Alaska
     
  20. Mar 22, 2014 at 9:46 PM
    #580
    bulhas

    bulhas the habs fan

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2010
    Member:
    #47857
    Messages:
    4,940
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Joe
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Vehicle:
    1997 Rexus
    LS Swap 500 hp......
    just got my canadian license today!!! all bands up to 250w

    VA6LXS - just a handheld atm Baofeng UV-5RA
     

Products Discussed in

To Top